


Life's No Dress Rehearsal

by ohheykat



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-16 02:40:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21263729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohheykat/pseuds/ohheykat
Summary: An outbreak of a disease causing man-eating zombies has broken out across Edgewater. Emma and Alyssa are just trying to survive it.tw for blood, violence, etcthis is my contest entry!





	Life's No Dress Rehearsal

The room was dark. Not so dark in a way that Emma could not see, but dark enough that it was hard to make out Alyssa’s silhouette as she paced back and forth in a straight line, each footstep falling and drumming a rhythm that Emma had begun to get used to. This pacing happened more often than Alyssa would care to admit, even before the outbreak. It was a nervous tick that her girlfriend had picked up in the ninth grade, and although it worried Emma, it always let her know just how worried Alyssa was. The faster she paced, the bigger the threat. “‘Lys,” Emma called softly, finally rising from her seat in order to grab onto the darker girl’s wrist to stop the rhythm entirely. “Take a deep breath for me.”

It was less a question and more a command, for Emma knew that if she wasn’t assertive Alyssa would never listen to her. Alyssa sat down as Emma pulled her towards a chair, then sat in silence as her girlfriend kissed her forehead and ran her fingers through her long, tangled, brown locks. There was no “it’ll be okay” or “everything is alright” because Emma couldn’t truthfully tell her that. Barry and Angie had been out far too long, and at this point, there was no knowing whether or not they had been bitten.

A little over half an hour later, Angie returned, looking rightfully frazzled as she threw a bag onto the table, before sinking against the door until her knees touched her chest. “Ange?” Emma prompted softly, kneeling next to her mother figure in an attempt to read her face. “What happened?”

“They got him,” she whispered, voice hoarse and defeated. “I couldn’t save him.”

Emma’s face showed no emotion, for she had gotten used to this. They had lost Dee Dee, Trent, even her grandmother. If Emma was being honest, they had lost so many that she was pretty sure she wouldn’t feel anything at all if they lost anyone else, except for the brown-haired girl who was now sat in the corner, crying.

Emma said nothing, just slid down next to her so she could pull her girlfriend into her arms. Alyssa had always been the emotional one in this relationship, and the outbreak hadn’t changed that. It certainly didn’t help that she had watched her two best friends be turned, but Emma didn’t know much about that. Alyssa’s silence had been enough for her to know that something had happened within the two weeks to traumatize her. 

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” Alyssa whispered, but Emma only held her closer, rubbing her back with one hand while the other threaded carefully through messy brown hair. 

Emma didn’t speak, but there were a thousand silent “_ I love you _”s floating in the air. This had become, as much as they hated to admit, a normal routine. Someone would die, Alyssa would cry, Emma would comfort, and those who were left would figure themselves out.

The door opened suddenly, and Emma’s arms wrapped tighter around Alyssa until she realized who it was. “He’s one of them,” Kevin mumbled as he threw his bag on the floor. “I thought I was going in for a rescue, but he’s gone. He’s been infected.”

“We just have to get into the city,” Alyssa reasons. “They’ll have the cure and then we can give it to him- all of them.”

“You really think they have a cure?” Kevin snapped, but his eyes softened as he watched her back away. “Wait, Alyssa, I’m sorry.”

It was too late for any kind of apology. Something had snapped inside of Alyssa, and before anyone could stop her she was out the door and running down the hallway. “‘Lys!” Emma screamed, turning around to glare at Kevin. “If she gets killed it’s on you, Shield.”  
Angie tried to stop her, but Emma slipped out the door as well, walking as quietly and quickly as she could as she searched for her girlfriend. While she walked, she had time to think about everything that had happened in the past two months. 

The outbreak had started in Indianapolis. An infection had spread across several neighborhoods, and people were dying by the dozens. Eventually, a cure for the initial infection had been found and people stopped dying, but a new problem arose. Those who had died weren’t staying dead. People were quite literally rising from graves and the disease began to spread again. There was no time for a cure now, but recently there had been rumors that the city had one. All they had to do was survive until then.

They had started in a group of nine. Nick, Kaylee, and Shelby had been infected by the time the group came together, and they weren’t the last to go. The original nine had made it all the way to the high school before getting surrounded, but it worked as a good shelter nonetheless. Two people at a time would go out to forage for supplies, but it had cost them. Now, there were only four of them left, and if Emma wasn’t careful she knew she would lose the last three of her friends as well.

“Alyssa!” Emma whispered as she found her, lying in an empty classroom. “You can’t just run away like that.”

Alyssa said nothing, just let out a choking sob as Emma scooped her into her arms. “I can’t handle losing anyone else,” she sobbed, grasping Emma’s shirt and twisting it in her fingers. “I can’t fucking lose you!”  
“You won’t,” Emma promises, just as they hear someone walking down the hallway. “Let’s sleep here tonight, it’s too dangerous to try and make it back with Kevin and Angie. I think there’s a sleeping bag in my bookbag.”

Alyssa whimpered as she let go, but Emma quickly rolled it out, then threw her sweatshirt on the ground as a makeshift pillow. The two of them huddled close together, Alyssa cuddling snuggly against Emma as she wrapped her arms around her. Just as she placed her head in the crook of her girlfriend’s neck, Emma whispered, “It’ll all be alright in the morning, my love.”

She really hoped she was right.

* * *

When Alyssa woke the next morning, she was surprised to find herself still snuggled into Emma’s arms. Normally, the blonde was the first to rise, eager to begin the day and get all of her normal duties done, but this morning she was still snoring against Alyssa’s brunette curls. 

Much to Alyssa’s dismay, she was not as comfortable as she had been when she had fallen asleep. For one, it was far too hot in the sleeping bag, which was odd considering it was December. For another, she found herself soaking wet. _ Fuck _ , she thought to herself, raising a hand to her forehead. _ Am I getting sick? _

As she felt no fever, it suddenly dawned on her. One brush of her fingers against Emma’s forehead and she knew. “Em,” she whispered softly, gently shaking her shoulder. “Wake up for me baby.”

“Don’t wanna,” her voice was high-pitched, and a whimper escaped her lips before she could stop it. 

“Oh baby girl,” Alyssa sighed, pressing her lips to her forehead. “You’re burning up with fever.”

“‘M fine,” Emma suddenly decided, sitting up before pushing herself into a standing position. “Let’s go, we need to get back to Angie and Kevin before they think we’re dead.”

Alyssa stood up as well, just in time to catch Emma as she began to sway. “No, there’s no way you’re going to be able to travel today,” she stealthily hooked her foot around the leg of a chair, pulled it towards her girlfriend, then eased her into it. “You need to rest, or at least stay off your feet.”

“No, I’m fine,” Emma stood up again, but this time fell immediately onto Alyssa.

“Yeah, and I’m straight,” she rolled her eyes, but gently eased her onto the chair again. “Is there a thermometer in your backpack?”

Emma nodded, closing her eyes in pain. As Alyssa walked to get the thermometer, she couldn’t help but marvel at how quickly their roles had changed. Just the night before she had been the one crying and in need of care, but now it was completely flipped. “Open up baby,” she cooed softly, slipping the device into Emma’s mouth. When it beeped, Alyssa was thankful for the lightning-quick reflexes she had gained from cheer, because it was the only reason she got to it before Emma did. “Honey, that’s not okay.”

“I’m sure it’s not that high.”

“It’s 102.”

“Well shit.”

It’s almost as if hearing the numbers was all it took to defeat her. This had happened a few times. The statistics, the number of deaths, undead, etc. all of it was what defeated Emma. She had never been a fighter, but, surprisingly enough, she had always been good at math.

“Why don’t you try to sleep it off?” Alyssa suggested, fluffing her hoodie so that it resembled a pillow once again. “I’ll keep watch for Angie or Kevin and let one of them know what’s going on if they pass by.”

Emma nodded, and Alyssa frowned at just how easy it was to convince her girlfriend to sleep. She helped lower her into the sleeping bag before kissing her forehead and running her fingers through blonde waves, quietly humming until she knew the younger girl had fallen asleep. She quietly slipped the glasses off of her face, they would be fucked if she broke those, then pulled a chair up to the door to keep watch. Armed with only a flashlight, a notebook, and a pen, Alyssa was prepared to face this day.

She must have drifted off because the next thing she knows all she hears is screaming. Jumping out of her seat, she turned around to find Emma, sobbing, rocking back and forth with her knees pulled up to her chest. “Em, hey, hey,” she whispers softly, knowing that her scream had already attracted enough attention to their room. “It was just a nightmare, calm down.”

Her crying only worsened, and as Alyssa attempted to pull her into a hug she could tell why. “Holy shit, you’re on fire,” she pressed her hand to her searing hot forehead before pulling away. “Emma, let me check this again.”

She slipped it in before Emma could protest, and cursed under her breath at the numbers that glared back at her once it had beeped. “Okay,” she stood up, and Emma let out a choked sob. “Hey, hey. I’m gonna get you some medicine.”

“How?” Emma had a voice now, but it was evident that was fading too.

“The nurse’s office keeps pain medicine and fever reducer, and it’s only two hallways away. I could make it there and back pretty quickly.”

“No, you can’t leave me,” Emma sobbed, and Alyssa squatted down to make eye contact with her.

“Emma, listen to me,” she reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her eye, and Emma immediately grabbed her hand and refused to let go. “You’re running a 104 fever. If I don’t get you medicine, we could lose you. We can’t- I can’t- lose you.”

Emma sobs again, refusing to let go of Alyssa’s hand. Luckily for Alyssa, she’s much stronger than the sick girl lying in front of her. “Alyssa please, we already lost Barry and everyone else. What if something happens to you?” Emma pleaded with her, and each word was followed by a cough that shook her entire body.

“I’ll only be a minute,” the dark-haired girl promised, stroking Emma’s cheek with her thumb and planting a soft kiss to her lips. “I promise.”

“Alyssa please!”

“I will always come back for you,” she whispered, then was out the door without another word.

* * *

The banging on the door woke her up. She jumped out of her sleep, startled awake by the loud noise. Emma attempted to pull herself into a standing position, but failed miserably and had to grab a chair instead. In the dark, her eyes searched for Alyssa, or at least another figure, but she saw nothing. The banging grew louder the longer she waited, and Emma’s heart began to race. _What if it’s Alyssa?_ she thought to herself. _What if she’s trapped out there?_

Slowly but surely, she made herself walk to the door. Peering out the window, she saw nothing. For a moment, she thought she had imagined the whole thing, and maybe it was just another nightmare from her fever. Her fears all came back as Greg’s face popped up in the window, his mouth full of something that resembled intestines and blood oozing out of a cut on his forehead. Emma screamed, and he turned and made direct eye contact with her. She knew that he knew exactly who she was now.

Quickly, she stumbled over her own feet as she hurried into the corner of the room, barricading herself with the few desks that were left in there. Emma didn’t know if Greg was the only one out there, or if she was about to be killed by those she loved the most. She could see other faces in the window, but she couldn’t make out who they belonged to.

They were taking over the door now, the sheer weight of their decaying bodies was enough to break it. Their bodies stumbled in through the splintering wood like a pack of wolves, hungry for meat. Emma couldn’t count them in the dark, but she estimated there had to be at least twenty of them. There was nowhere for her to go, no window to jump out of, no way she could make it through the door.

_The light will fend them off!_ Emma remembered suddenly, quickly diving for the flashlight that was lying next to her opened sleeping bag and shining it into their sickly pale faces. However, just as fast as she had grabbed it she dropped it, screaming as they began to surround her. She decided at that moment that she would rather die than live with what she had seen.

As she shined a flashlight into their eyes, a beautiful pair of brown irises had stared blankly back at her. The same pair _she_ had stared into for hours at a time before, the ones she could get lost in no matter the day or place. Alyssa was staring back at her, and she wanted Emma more than she had _ ever _ wanted her before.


End file.
